A Big Surprise for Valentine's Day

by Jackie Lau

  “They stuck up for their daughter? Good.”

  Mom crossed her arms and looked at him as though trying to figure him out. Perhaps she thought this was out of character for him—he’d never been the rebellious child.

  “You were okay with them setting up Diana and Zach,” he said. “But for me and Amber, it’s different?”

  Was it because they considered Zach more respectable...and they’d never seen Zach wearing a short I’m-here-to-have-sex dress? Or because they had more specific expectations for Sebastian than Diana?

  Not that it mattered.

  Dad finally opened his mouth. “You really love her.”

  “Yeah. I do.”

  I’ve never quite felt this way before.

  “Then if you bring her home, I will welcome her. We will try to be more open-minded. She is not who we imagined for you, but maybe she is right for you.” He gave Sebastian a small smile.

  Sebastian exhaled. If he’d won over his dad, then his dad would eventually convince his mother. “One other thing. Boundaries. Please don’t show up unannounced and force your way in when I say no, okay? I’ll try to visit you every week now that I’m close by, but at the very least, call before you get in the car.”

  “That is fine, Sebastian,” Dad said. “We understand.”

  Mom didn’t seem thrilled, but she nodded.

  He knew his parents wanted the best for him. They’d come to this country for opportunities, to give their children a better life, but they had specific ideas of what that meant, and they were a little rigid in their thinking.

  They would figure this out, though.

  He felt a heaviness in his heart as he thought of Amber. He wanted her to be an important part of his life, but he’d already put his heart out there and been rejected.

  Perhaps she’d come to him later, after she got his package in the mail.

  Perhaps not, but it was her choice, and he’d let her make it on her own.

  “I’m thankful for what you’ve done for me,” he said to his parents, “but I have my own life now and I can decide what’s best for me.” He paused. “I love you.”

  His parents looked at each other like they didn’t know what to make of his words, then turned back to him.

  “Ah, I almost forgot,” Dad said. “There was a big sale this weekend on paper towels. They’re in the basement. I will get them for you.”

  “We went to London and got the bao you like,” Mom said, heading to the fridge. “And those chocolate cookies—they are so hard to find.”

  Though they didn’t say the words, this was how they told Sebastian that they loved him.

  Chapter 13

  When Amber came home on Monday after work, she took down the sign that had hung above her bed for a year.

  Rule #1: No Dating.

  After having leftovers for dinner—her parents had sent food home with her yesterday—she sat in front of the TV, ready to crochet and watch some baking shows. She’d bought a pattern for an otter holding a heart, and she was excited to get started.

  The truth was, there was a purpose to the otter. And her next crochet project, which made her giggle stupidly.

  She was making them all for Sebastian. A plan had formed at the back of her mind, and she was slowly putting it into action.

  As she worked on her little projects, she allowed the feelings she’d ignored for so long to bubble to the surface. She’d been so resistant to the idea of them being together, but after talking to her friends and her family, she’d been slowly changing her mind.

  She didn’t suddenly know in a flash that she wanted to be with him for always, but that didn’t mean it was any less. She’d been impulsive in the past. Now, she was taking her time.

  For some reason, she needed this time alone, and she let herself have it.

  The following Wednesday, she received a small package. She got a goofy grin on her face when she saw that it was from Sebastian, and she immediately tore it open.

  There was a bag of chocolate hearts with a “50% off” sticker. She was sure he’d left the sticker on deliberately.

  There was also an envelope sealed with a heart. Inside, she found a card with two heart balloons and the words “Be Mine.” When she opened it up, a piece of paper fluttered out.

  It was the registration for the cake class. He’d added a sticky note saying he could change the name of the second person so she could take it with a friend.

  In the card, he’d written, If you change your mind, I’m here. Love, Sebastian.

  The next move was on her. She didn’t expect to hear from him again otherwise—he would give her space. She appreciated that, but at the same time, she wanted to run to him and throw her arms around him.

  But she would wait a little longer.

  Until her plans were in order.

  Until she was absolutely sure.

  Screw that.

  She was absolutely sure now. She wanted to be with him more than anything. And unlike many of the men she’d dated in the past, he was kind and thoughtful and he made her feel good about who she was.

  There was still the issue of their families, but Roxanne was right when she said the worst thing that could happen had already happened. Yes, it might be annoying at times, but it was worth it. Amber wouldn’t give this up just because there were some issues. She could stand up for herself when she needed to, and Sebastian would be on her side; she knew she could count on him.

  All of a sudden, she ached, absolutely ached, to have his arms around her once more.

  She sent him a text.

  * * *

  Sebastian figured it was a good sign that Amber had invited him over that Friday.

  Still, he didn’t expect the sight that greeted him when he opened the door.

  Well, he’d expected Amber, looking lovely, of course. She was wearing the same dress she’d worn on Valentine’s Day. For a moment, he could look nowhere but at her.

  But then he noticed the red and pink streamers. The heart-shaped balloons.

  That was a surprise.

  “I’m sorry about Valentine’s Day.” Her voice, normally strong, wavered. He squeezed her hand. “I was caught off-guard. But that doesn’t mean I hadn’t already been falling for you. I had—but I kept it a secret, even from myself. I can be a little dim sometimes.”

  He shook his head. “No, you are a bright light, and my life is so much better for having you in it.”

  “When you pulled a box of Magnum condoms off the shelf, I never would have imagined you saying something like that to me one day.” She took a deep breath, and he couldn’t stop smiling at her. “I didn’t plan on it being more than sex—and the sex was amazing, even if we, uh, had trouble making it work the first time. But then we began hanging out, outside of the bedroom. I told you things that I don’t usually tell other people. We spent nights together. You made me breakfast. It was...” She shut her eyes for a moment. “It was better than any relationship I’d had. It was finally the relationship I deserved—because I deserve better than what all those assholes gave me. I just wasn’t looking for it with you, so I couldn’t see it. But now, I’m looking, and I love you. I love the way I feel when I’m with you.”

  “Me, too,” he said quietly.

  He’d been missing something in his life. Someone he could relax around, someone he could have fun with.

  But she was so much more than that to him.

  He didn’t have the words, though, so he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Unlike the first time, it wasn’t a kiss that came simply from lust, but one with a deeper passion, an emotional bond.

  It felt so good to have her body pressed up against his again. To have her in his arms, feeling like they were both where they belonged.

  When he began kissing down the side of her neck, she stepped back. “Before we get carried away, I want the chance to do Valentine’s Day over again.” She led him into the living room, where there were three packages wrapped in red and pink paper, and handed him
one. “Open this first.”

  It was a pair of crochet otters, each holding a red heart.

  “You made these,” he said.

  “Just for you.”

  “They’re adorable.”

  She handed him the next package.

  This one rendered him speechless. It was another crochet project, but it wasn’t what he’d call adorable.

  It was a crochet penis.

  Yes, she’d made him a light brown penis. With balls, of course.

  “It’s very...phallic.” He was unsure what else to say.

  “It’s meant to be to scale,” she said. “Want to check?”

  “Soon, I promise.”

  The next present was a crochet donut with pink frosting. Which, by itself, was rather cute, but he knew what she intended him to do with it.

  God, he loved this woman.

  He slid the donut on top of the crochet dick. It was a perfect fit.

  He swallowed. “About our families...”

  “We’ll do our best to ensure they don’t interfere too much. My mom admitted they get a bit too involved at times.”

  “And my parents understand that I love you and won’t tolerate them talking that way. In time, they’ll come to like you—I can’t see how they wouldn’t. But we’ll figure it out together.”

  She nodded. “I have something else for you, too.”

  “You’ve already given me so much.”

  “I know, a Magnum-size crochet dick really put it over the top. Though that was a little more successful than what I’m about to show you.”

  She led him to the kitchen, where there was a plate of cupcakes on the counter. They had white icing and red heart candies, but they didn’t look like the sort of thing that could be sold in a bakery. Rather, they looked like something that might appear on Nailed It!

  He’d binge-watched baking shows in the past week. It had made him feel closer to her.

  “As you can see,” she said, “I definitely need some classes. Will you take them with me?”

  “Absolutely.” He smiled.

  “Now, although these don’t look gorgeous, they taste all right.” She put a lopsided cupcake on a plate. “Red velvet with cream cheese buttercream. It was my first time making buttercream, and it’s a little grainy, but...” She swiped some buttercream off the cupcake and held it to his lips.

  “Mm. That’s good.”

  She swiped up more buttercream and put it just above the low neckline of her black dress. “Want a taste?”

  “Oh, do I ever. But I can’t help worrying that your dress is going to get dirty.”

  He pushed the thin straps off her arms and unzipped the dress. She shimmied out of it.

  “The bra will have to go, too.” He unclasped her strapless bra and tossed it on the floor.

  Now she stood before him, wearing only black lacy panties and a bite of cream cheese buttercream. She looked utterly delectable.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day,” he murmured.

  Then he licked off the buttercream and carried her to bed.

  Epilogue

  “Dammit, it doesn’t fit!”

  Amber tried, once again, to slide the chocolate dip donut with sprinkles onto her boyfriend’s dick. One side of the donut split to accommodate Sebastian’s girth, even though she’d selected the donut with the largest hole.

  “I think that’s a sign it wasn’t meant to be.” Sebastian stroked her hair. “I’m a little relieved, to be honest. I was worried you might accidentally bite in the wrong place.”

  “I would have been very careful, I assure you,” Amber said, pretending to be offended by Sebastian’s lack of faith in her eating-donut-off-dick abilities.

  In general, he had lots of faith in her, but not here.

  She tore the donut in two and handed one half to Sebastian. After they’d consumed the donut, she gave him a blowjob without any donuts or grapefruit.

  That was how they spent the morning of Easter Sunday: in bed.

  But at eleven o’clock, they had to get dressed in proper clothes—rather than the skimpy red lingerie Amber had been wearing for the past hour—and head to Mosquito Bay.

  That was okay. Amber had had lots of time alone with Sebastian lately.

  They’d officially been together for over a month, and it was, without a doubt, the best relationship she’d ever had, and she couldn’t imagine it being any better than this. They went out for bubble tea together. They baked together—with limited success, but they were improving. They went grocery shopping together. They lay in bed and snuggled. They laughed a lot. Occasionally, they went out for drinks at The Tempest with her friends.

  The best part was simply getting to be with him all the time, this wonderful man who loved her just the way she was.

  Though Amber’s family wasn’t religious, they celebrated Easter with a ham lunch, which her mother prepared. There would also be noodles—Ah Yeh’s noodles appeared at every family holiday—scalloped potatoes, salad, and lots of other food. Perhaps Lily and Nick would bring Nanaimo bars.

  Given that all the Wong children now had significant others, this Easter lunch would be more crowded than usual. Sebastian’s family would be coming this year as well.

  An hour after leaving Mosquito Bay, Amber arrived at the brick house where she’d grown up. She and Sebastian walked up the flagstone path hand in hand, and before Amber could ring the doorbell, the door opened.

  “Hello!” Ah Ma said. “Happy Easter!” She held up the colorful drink in her hand, garnished with a pink umbrella.

  “Ah Ma, it’s noon,” Amber said. “Have you already started drinking?”

  “These are virgin piña coladas, don’t worry. Very healthy.”

  “Um, I’m not sure piña coladas are healthy, even without the booze.”

  “Who cares? I am old. I will do whatever I like!”

  Just then, a six-foot-tall pink Easter Bunny walked into the front hall. He was carrying a basket of chocolate eggs and wearing a grumpy expression.

  “Greg, you are supposed to smile.” Ah Ma pinched his cheek, which she was barely able to reach.

  “Why is my brother dressed as the Easter Bunny?” Amber asked.

  “Ah Yeh ordered the costume on Amazon,” Greg said with a sigh. “We took a vote, and everyone thought I should wear it. Personally, I voted for Nick.”

  Tasha bounded into the hall. “I think he looks cute.”

  Amber plucked a chocolate egg out of Greg’s basket and passed it to Sebastian. She took a second one for herself.

  “Hey, Amber.” Zach walked into the hall, holding Jo’s hand. “How was the drive?”

  “Not too bad. We didn’t get stuck in a snowstorm and spend the night in an unheated motel room, so I can’t complain.”

  “It’s April,” Greg pointed out. “A snowstorm is unlikely.”

  “You never know,” Ah Ma said. “I am powerful! I can control the weather. But now there is no need for matchmaking, because you have all been matched, thanks to me.”

  “Um,” Nick said. “You guys set Lily up with Greg, not me.”

  “And you set Zach up with Sebastian’s sister,” Amber said, “rather than setting me up with Sebastian.”

  Ah Ma tapped her finger against her chin. “I have secrets.”

  “Before I forget.” Amber pulled a package out of her purse and handed it to Jo. “This is for you.”

  Jo unwrapped the green paper.

  “You made this, Amber?” Ah Ma said. “I don’t understand. It looks like a banana.”

  “I don’t think it’s a banana,” Jo said. “It looks more like a penis.”

  “Just like the shaft you drew at Chinese New Year, the last time I saw you,” Amber said. “I’m looking forward to playing Pictionary against you next year, with my new teammate.” She squeezed Sebastian’s hand, and he squeezed back.

  The doorbell rang, and Amber opened the door, revealing Sebastian’s parents and sister.

  “You are here!” Ah Ma said. “J
ust in time. Look what Amber made for Jo.” She pulled Jo’s gift out of her hand and held it up in the air.

  Amber put her hands over her face and shook her head. Things had been going reasonably well with Sebastian’s parents, but she hadn’t needed them to see that.

  Cecilia and Randall exchanged slightly horrified glances, but then Cecilia said, “You are very, ah, talented, Amber.”

  Huh. Her future mother-in-law was complimenting her crochet dick.

  Yes, she expected Cecilia would be her mother-in-law one day. She couldn’t imagine marrying any man but Sebastian.

  “Isn’t it awesome?” Ah Ma said, and her enthusiasm over the crochet dick made Amber wonder if those really were virgin piña coladas.

  Ah Ma led the way into the kitchen, where Mom was absently stirring a pot on the stove as she kissed Dad.

  “Okay, Mom and Dad,” Nick said. “Time to break it up.”

  “You’re all here!” Mom said. “Happy Easter, everyone! I’m especially pleased that the Easter Bunny was able to join us this year.”

  Everyone looked in Greg’s direction and clapped.

  “Can I take this costume off yet?” Greg muttered.

  Amber laughed and leaned back against Sebastian, who wrapped his arms around her.

  She was with her family and the man she loved for the holidays, and there was nowhere else she’d rather be. And when she got home that night, she’d give Sebastian the cross-stitch she’d made for him.

  It said: Amber Wong has the world’s best boyfriend.

  * * * * *

  Thank you for reading A Big Surprise for Valentine’s Day.

  If you’d like to read more romantic comedies set in Canada, check out my Baldwin Village series! The first novel is The Ultimate Pi Day Party, which features lots of pie, of course.

  To learn about my new releases, sign up for my newsletter. You will receive a free copy of the novella One Bed for Christmas, a standalone prequel to the Baldwin Village series.

  About the Author

  Jackie Lau decided she wanted to be a writer when she was in grade two, sometime between writing “The Heart That Got Lost” and “The Land of Shapes.” She later studied engineering and worked as a geophysicist before turning to writing romance novels. Jackie lives in Toronto with her husband, and despite living in Canada her whole life, she hates winter. When she’s not writing, she enjoys gelato, gourmet donuts, cooking, hiking, and reading on the balcony when it’s raining.